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Minutes
of the Forbes Arts & Culture Working Group, Forbes Library,
Monday 6 March 2006, 5.45pm.
By Jennifer
Purdie.
Those present
were Merrill Findlay, Graeme Miller, Bronwyn Clark,
Jane Bennie, Jennifer Purdie, Rosalie Burns and Watson (Forbes Library
cat).
Inaugural interim
Working Group convener, Merrill Findlay, presented the first uncorrected
draft of the Forbes
Cultural Plan, along with a letter to the Working Group in which
she outlined the findings of her research. She noted that she prepared
the first draft as the Working Group's volunteer (ie. unpaid) "writer-in-residence".
She also tendered her resignation from the position of convener
because she will be spending much of 2006 away from Forbes.
Background
to the Draft Cultural Plan
The Forbes
Arts & Culture Working Group was set up as an independent working
group to represent community interests rather than those of the
Shire Council. Its primary task is to develop a cultural plan (cultural
planning framework and action plan) based on the State Government’s
Cultural Planning Guidelines for presentation to Council in late
2006 or early 2007. The first draft, as presented to the meeting
by honorary "writer-in-residence" Merrill Findlay, is
based on the findings of the community survey in 2005 and a series
of 20 semi-structured interviews conducted in February and March.
Merrill recommends that at least another 50 interviews be conducted
in 2006 to ensure that all interest groups in the shire are consulted.
The first
draft will be on public exhibition in the Forbes Library for
comments, additions and recommendations, all of which will be considered
for the second draft later in 2006.
Major findings
of the research process includes the following.
- The Forbes
arts community needs a meeting place and a newsletter about arts
events.
- Many people
believe the town needs new cultural amenities, such as a modern
Cultural Centre with exhibition and performances spaces. A number
of people also suggested an amphitheatre beside the lake for out
door performances.
- Arts practitioners
and organisations interested in developing arts projects are disadvantaged
because Council does not yet have a cultural plan or any professional
expertise in the field of cultural development, and because it
withdrew from Arts OutWest.
- There are
signs of crisis in the shire's arts community: 2006 is a critical
time for the cultural development of the shire.
- Consultation
with the indigenous community is a priority issue.
Jane Bennie
compared the Forbes Shire situation with Shoalhaven Shire where
she used to live, and said that the employment of a cultural officer
by the Council made a great difference to all arts practitioners,
including herself, and to the vitality of the shire.
Motion
The Working
Group recommends that Forbes Shire Council reconsider its position
in funding Arts-Out-West & consult with the Arts Community [including
Forbes Art Gallery, M & D, Lachlan House With No Steps, Yoorana
Gunya, all the schools, Forbes Youth Centre, Forbes Eisteddfod (Vera
Read), Forbes Jazz Festival, Mitchell Conservatorium, Forbes Library,
and Heritage Advisory Committee], and that Clr Miller pass on this
recommendation to Council through the next Heritage Committee meeting.
Moved Jane Bennie, Seconded Ro Burns.
Carried
Motion
The Ro Burns
become the Working Group’s representative in the Wiradjuri
Consultative Process initiated through Yoorana Gunya.
Moved Merrill Findlay, Seconded Jane Bennie.
Carried
The meetings discussed the range of suggestions set out in the Action
Plan in the draft Cultural Plan. Merrill noted that all the ideas
now needed to be prioritised and new ones added. Working Group members
had their own ideas to be added to the list. Ro was especially keen
on the farmers market concept, but was also interested in developing
a storytelling festival.
The meeting
unanimously agreed that Jane Bennie would replace Merrill as the
Working Group's convener/coordinator, and that Jennifer Purdie would
replace Kylie Grayson as secretary.
The meetings
also agreed that Graeme Miller would table the draft cultural plan
at the Forbes Heritage Meeting at 5.30pm on Tuesday 7 March 2006
whilst Merrill would present it to the public meeting to discuss
Council’s environmental planning process on the same evening. |
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